The Manticoran Empire
The Manticoran Empire commonly called Manticore, is a Constitutional Monarchy in Achara and Noriuh. It is bordered to the north by Arengin Union, to the south by Norcourt, in the west by the Sea and on the east by Bearstin. The Empire covers 1,141,748 square kilometers and has an estimated population of 342,524,400. Manticore is comprised of 61 states. The Empire is a large up and coming power in Achara, seeking to challenge the present global status quo and assert it's place as a global superpower. Etymology The name "Manticore" is derived from the ancient mythological beast featured on the Royal Seal of the House of Javette, with the name replacing the domestic title of Latia to describe the Empire. The proper way to refer to a citizen of the Empire is as a "Manticoran". However, it is quite common for foreigners to use the term "Manticorian" to describe Manticorans. History People arrived in the territory that now makes up the Empire around 60,000 years ago, following the large herds of migrating herbivores south from Central Achara and settling along the coast and the sub-tropical zone that made up much of South-Eastern Achara. Approximately 12,000 years ago, the people living in the area that would become Manticore discovered agriculture and began to form civilizations and more complex cultures. Several cultures rose and fell over the millenia, with the region dominated by the Triuh for nearly 4,000 years. For still unknown reasons, the Triuh collapsed around 7,000 years ago, sending the region into an age of darkness and ignorance, broken only by the rise of the First Latian Empire around 6,500 years ago. The First Latian Empire The Latians were a very warlike culture, placing great value upon virtues such as loyalty and punctuality. Their gods expressed these same virtues and Latian shamans would carry symbols to represent these values. The Latians would abandon their migratory clan structure soon after reaching the Ancient Triuhan cities, forging the First Latian Empire around these ancient and mysterious stone structures. The First Latian Empire, however, would not last long, collapsing a mere 500 years after it was formed. Archaeological studies of the First Empire point to several causes that may have lead to the collapse of the First Empire, as well as the Triuh before them. Among these causes were a change in global temperatures that resulted in crop shortages and famine. Archaeological evidence from the First Latian Empire indicates that it rose around 4,500 BCE, roughly 500 years after the collapse of the Triuh civilization. However, artifacts recovered from sites across the Empire point to the Latian Migration beginning as early as 7,300 BCE, though the precise reasoning is unknown. What is also largely unknown is the initial origin of the Latian culture. Several aspects of its culture appear to borrow from Triuh cultural practices but other cultures exist as well, including aspects of Germanic culture. As such, it is theorized that the Latians first appeared in northern Achara sometime before 7,300 BCE, though the exact time of their appearance is still unknown. Excavations of Early Latian sites have also shown that the Latians built their cities close to the ruins of Triuh cities, often incorporating the Triuh cities into their own constructions. This has led some archaeologists to the conclusion that the Latians are partially responsible for the collapse of the Triuh Civilisation. It is also theorized that, because of the Latian occupation of Triuh cities, that the Latian Empire inherited many of the ecological troubles of their predecessors, leading to the premature collapse of the First Latian Empire in 4,000 BCE. The Dark Centuries For a period of roughly 500 years, the Latian civilization was fractured, split into a combination of competing city-states and nomadic tribes, constantly warring with themselves and other civilizations for dominance. These centuries saw a massive increase in the mortality rate among Latians, with some researchers believing that the collapse of the Latian Empire led to the loss of much of Triuhan and Latian medical and agricultural knowledge, resulting in plague and famine that ravaged the population. The Dark Centuries, as they are called in some texts from the Second Latian Empire, ended with the Second Conquest of Latia around 3,500 BCE. The Second Conquest of Latia and the Second Latian Empire This conquest coincided with the rise of Old Aydinir, though the timing is not perfect. Archaeological digs along the Coast and further inland, near modern day Arengin, show that, while the Coastal Cities of Latia appeared to have no evidence of substantial Aydinirian influence, cities nearer to Arengin share architectural features with many Old Aydinrian cities, suggesting that the Coastal Cities united first while cities further inland were subjugated by Old Aydinir. This hypothesis is supported by many texts from Latian historians from the Second Empire, which seem to suggest that the Latian Empire was formed initially as a beneficial alliance between coastal city-states but, as Old Aydinir expanded its borders into Latia, the City-States united to face off a common enemy. This unity would outlive the war with Old Aydinir and would usher in an era of peace and prosperity for Latia that would last for over 2,000 years. The Second Latian Empire very much exceeded the First, both in territory and cultural accomplishments. It conquered much of Southern Achara, along the borders of modern day Bearstin and Arganuta, bringing with it a religion that preached reliability, steadfastness, and bravery and a culture that rewarded not the strongest or the smartest nor even the most beautiful, but those who exemplified the "Latian Way": Hard workers, frugal, and disciplined. Many sites from the early Second Empire exemplify this way of life, buildings of elegant simplicity, built with utility in mind. Later buildings, particularly close to the fall of the Empire, were more extravagant, showing either a cultural shift or a departure of the ruling elite from the wider Latian culture. It has been theorized by some that the increasing extravagance and luxury of Latian architecture towards the end of the Second Empire was both a result of the decline of the Empire and a cause for it. Centuries of Latian dominance had created a people that, according to one historian, "had grown to used to being top dog". As a result, when conflict with several neighboring powers, including the Khyrani Dominion, began to increase in frequency, the Empire lost large amounts of territory and sought to compensate for it by building ever more extravagant buildings. These building projects further taxed their depleted resources, leading to famine, revolt, and ever sharper decline. By 1400 BCE, the Latian Empire had wasted away, a ripe fruit ready to fall into the outstretched hand of a hungering Aydinir. The Aydinirian Age From about 1,400 BCE to roughly the mid 4th Century BCE, Latia was ruled by Aydinir. More than a 1,000 years of rule led to several aspects of Aydinirian culture becoming ingrained into Latian culture. However, it was far from a peaceful transition. The Aydinirian Conquest that began in the 1400s BCE was brutal, with thousands of Latian being massacred or forced into slavery. Countless cities were sacked, many, such as the capitol of Canden, being razed to the ground with their population still huddled within the walls. The brutality did not last however, and for almost a thousand years the Latians lived in relative peace with their Aydinir overlords. Many Latian cities even managed to achieve a degree of autonomy. Aydinirian culture, language, script, religion, and architecture seeped into Latia, influencing modern Latian culture through the spoken and written word and the modern Latian religion. Alas, as in all good things, it came to an end. A brutal end to an age of relative peace, foretold by a blood-red sign in the heavens and the coming of barbarians from the west. The Fall of Old Aydinir The Collapse of Old Aydinir did not come without warning. For many years before The Destruction, famine and plague had ravaged Old Aydinir, with many in Aydinirian society blaming it on Aydinir's rulers getting "soft" on the Younger Peoples. Latian revolutionaries turned the argument back on them, blaming Latia's collapse and subjugation on shifty Aydinirians, protraying Aydinir society as a society of cheaters and sloths, who used the so-called "Younger Peoples" as slave labor to enable their disgusting, godless lifestyle of extravagance and depravity. Latian priests and rebels alike called the combination of famine and plague that swept Old Aydinir "The Reckoning" and took it as a sign to rise up. Latian revolts coincided with revolts among the Aydinirian population, further destablizing a regime made shaky by natural disasters. The deadly combination of internal unrest and natural disasters left Old Aydinir vulnerable when the Mando'a Barbarians came. The Barbarians swept across all the lands of Old Aydinir, from the north of Aydinir all the way to the southern most end of Latia, covering the land in death and destruction, burning cities, raping women, and massacring civilians and soldiers alike as they brutalized their way across Achara. The City States Period Following the collapse of Old Aydinir, the Latian cities fought among themselves for dominance, a contest that would last for almost 2,000 years. Over the centuries, dozens of kingdoms rose and fell, waxed and waned, with warlords, kings, and self-styled Emperors all trying to unify the disparate city states and recreate the legend of "Old Latia". Little is known of this period, largely due to a lack of written records that survived the constant violence. What is known is largely known from writings created after the rise of the Manticoran Kingdom and archaeological evidence. The Rise of Manticore The modern Manticoran Empire rose in the City State of Vicuna in the 14th Century. House Javette, which ruled the Kingdom of Manticore following a violent war of succession a century before, sought to end the cycle of violence, like thousands of other houses and kingdoms before them. It would be House Javette, though, would accomplish what no other house had managed: the final unification of the Latian Empire. The conquests would last nearly a century, with the Javette armies proclaiming themselves in service of the Latian Empire. The conquered peoples, however, gave the Empire a different name: The Empire of The Manticore. By 1453, the Empire had seized much of the old Latian Empire, with its borders stretching from the sea to Bearstin. The Empire we know today was finally pacified by 1572. Expansion and Colonization During the 17th and 18th Centuries, the Empire sought expansion in Achara and world wide, seeking to gain an advantage over Aydinir and Bearstin. By the 1750s, Manticoran colonies could be found on every continent and Manticoran warships and merchantmen plied the waves, transporting goods from the colonies to the Empire's heartland. The Empire's colonies spanned virtually every continent and hundreds of islands would be turned into replenishment and later coaling stations by the Royal Navy. Manticoran colonization is a controversial subject in the Empire, due in large part to the severe mistreatment of native populations and the Empire's continued intervention in the supposedly independent colonies. Geography, Wildlife, and Climate Manticore is located in a fertile, sub-tropical river area, with a small temperate forest near the Arengin Border and some marshlands near the coast. The relatively flat land combined with fertile soil and excellent precipitation made the area ideal for agriculture and as such supported the growth of several empires and a large population. Demographics The Empire has a diverse population of over 342 million people. These people hold a variety of different cultural beliefs, languages, and religions. Population The Imperial Census Bureau estimates the population of the Empire at over 342 million people as of 1 August 2018. ICB estimates also suggest a population growth rate of .5% annually, putting the estimates for the 2020 census at 344 million. The sheer size of the population results in a massive diversity in that population. 60 distinct ancestries hold significant populations within the Empire, with four main ethnic groups. Latians are the most common, with 78% of the mainland population claiming Latian ancestry. Schwazens are the largest minority group, with 10% of the mainland population claiming Schwazen ancestry. Sclavians are the second largest minority, followed by Elladians and others. The Empire also has a large and growing immigrant population, with immigrants drawn from around the world to the very free and open economy of the Empire. The 2010 census indicated that almost 13% of the population had been born abroad and immigrated later in life. The population is also very diverse in terms of sexual orientation, with about 5% of Imperial adults identifying as LGBT. The LGBT community is much more common in the heavily urbanized, more liberal coastal regions than in the more conservative north and center of the country. 82% of the Imperial population lives in cities and suburban areas, with half of them living in cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. 20 cities in the Empire have more than 1,00,000 people living in them. The largest city in the Empire is Arvia, on the border with Arengin. Language The official language of the Empire is Latian, with several other languages also being widely spoken among other ethnic groups. The Imperial education system puts little emphasis on foreign languages, however, teaching only Latian with Schwazen and Sclavian also offered at many schools. Despite this, few Manticorans speak more than one language and most who do grew up in a house speaking a language other than Latian. Religion The Latian religion is a polytheistic religion based around several key virtues. These are most simply defined as Hard Work, Frugality, and Discipline. There are several variations of the Godly Virtues, though they all share the same basic message: Work Hard, do not live extravagantly, be loyal, be tolerant of others, see to it that Justice and Duty come before yourself. Family Structure Most families in the Empire are classical nuclear families, with a Mother and Father raising the children together. Teenage pregnancies are fairly common, with almost 60 pregnancies per 1,000 teenage girls. The teenage birthrate, however, is comparatively low, thanks in large part to the nationwide legality of abortion. 15 per 1,000 women aged 15-44 report having an abortion and there are almost 300 abortions per 1,000 live births, making the Empire a leader in abortion services, much to the chagrin of religious groups in the Empire. An effort to cut down on abortions has taken the form of a simplification of the adoption process and high schools and middle schools offering contraceptives for free to students. The adoption market has seen a boom in recent years, with the legalization of same sex marriage and adoption by same sex couples in 2010 opening the doors to tens of thousands of couples looking for children. Unlike many other nations, polygamy is legal in the Empire, though several religious and ethnic groups do hold polygamy to be a sinful act. Recent studies have shown that the present birth rate of around 1,760 births per 1,000 women is 16% lower than the minimum rate required to replace the population. Her Majesty's Government initiated a state funded propaganda program to increase the birth rate with a goal of 3,000 births per 1,000 women. Among the methods being considered are increases to child tax credits, raising taxes on contraceptives and abortion procedures, and some far right politicians have suggested outlawing abortion in all but the most extreme cases. Government and Politics The Empire is a Constitutional Monarchy, formed following the Manticoran Civil War in the 1650s. The Constitution of 1656 set up the system of checks and balances intended to keep any of the branches of government from getting too much power. This was altered only once, under the reign of Empress Catherine in 1947, with the alterations made to increase the rights of the common people, limiting the power of the Crown and Peerage. The Empire is ranked highly in political and economic freedom, as well as personal liberties. The Imperial system subjects its citizens to three main levels of government: Federal, State, and Local. Elections are held every 2-6 years at National, State, and Local levels, with different parts of the government up for vote each time. All branches of government are elected through some form of proportional voting system. The National Government is made up of three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. This structure is mirrored at both the State and Local levels. All elected members of the National Government are limited to 12 years in office. The Legislative Branch is the branch tasked with drafting and passing laws that can apply to any number of things. It is made up of a Bicameral Parliament, with a House of Lords and a Monarchical House of Commons. The House of Lords is made up of the Hereditary Peers of the Empire, the Lords and Ladies appointed by the Imperial Family, and the Bishops of the Church, though the Bishops hold no political power and are quite content to keep it that way. Membership in the House of Lords is a right afforded to all Peers, though the actually membership is determined by a council of Dukes, who in turn are denied any seats in the House of Lords. The Council of Dukes membership rotates with each election cycle. The Dukes then appoint Peers to the House of Lords, with the main stipulation being that no Peer can be in the House of Lords more than twice in a twenty year period. Each Peer sits for a term of four to twelve years and the number of Peers permitted in the House at any one time is 450. The House of Lords cannot vote down laws passed by the House of Commons. Rather, they serve to restrain the Commons, being able to delay laws that violate the Constitution of the Empire and provide suggested alterations. The House of Commons is made up of 1,740 members, elected for four year terms via Mixed Member Proportional Vote. Like the Lords, they too have a term limit, though a more absolute one. No person may serve more than 12 years in the House of Commons. Requirements for entry to the House of Commons are simple. Any candidate must at least 25 years old, live in the constituency they will represent, and have lived in that constituency for the last five consecutive years. The Commons have broad powers, enabling them to draft, vote on, and pass laws, whose only real obstacles are the House of Lords, Supreme Court, and the Crown. All three checks on any bill passed by the Commons can block it until it is altered to conform to the Constitution of the Empire. The Crown is the Executive Branch of the Empire, tasked with enforcing the laws passed by Parliament and also performing certain ceremonial duties as well as providing a final say in decisions, should Parliament fail to do so. It is made up of the Emperor, the Prime Minister, the Privy Council, and certain other assets necessary to effectively enforce the laws of the Empire. The Imperial Family has long viewed their role in the Government to be a silent partner, only speaking if spoken to and only taking action if the situation warrants it. The Prime Minister is appointed from the ruling party in the House of Commons or any individual MP that the Sovereign thinks may command support in Parliament. This generally results in the leader of the ruling party becoming Prime Minister. The Privy Council is a council of advisers, appointed jointly by the Sovereign and the Prime Minister. These advisers are each responsible for some aspect of the government, such as foreign relations, internal affairs, national defense, law enforcement, and the Treasury. The Sovereign has the final say on official decisions of the Government, though Parliament can and often does pass laws that are never sent to the Crown. The Judicial Branch is the branch tasked with reviewing laws passed by Parliament and making the final decision on questions regarding the constitution and, in rare occasions, criminal cases. It is made up of 9 Justices who serve for life, though it is common for justices to retire after a period of time. Political Divisions The Empire is divided into 61 states, with 25 states in Achara and 36 in Noriuh. The States are the primary level of administrative division at the National Level, with National Laws being sent down to the states, who are then required to adjust their own laws in accordance. The states are further divided into counties and municipalities. Like the states, counties and municipalities are allowed to create, pass, and enforce their own laws, so long as those laws do not contradict any laws made by the level above them. Political Parties and Elections The Empire currently has five major political parties. The Conservatives and Liberals are the largest, challenged heavily by the Greens, Communists, and Democrats. The Conservatives are a party focused on keeping the Government out of the lives of the people, restraining government spending, and focusing the Government on national efforts, leaving the states to decide for their people. The Liberals are interested in making the Federal Government the clear superior of every other level of government and using federal spending to provide education, healthcare, housing, and, in some of the more extreme elements of the Liberals, income for all citizens. The Greens are very similar to the Liberals, though they demand increased environmental protections and an end to all military spending, as well as outlawing all forms of weapons. The Communists, once militant revolutionaries seeking the end of the Capitalist system, now try to use the democrat system to effect their revolution. The Democrats are, perhaps, the simplest party. Greens, Conservatives, Liberals, and Communists all call the Democrats their home, united only by their interest in abolishing the Monarchy and its Republican and Monarchical ideals of government and moving it to a pure democracy. Foreign Relations The Empire's foreign relations are a product of centuries of strife. The Empire share's a close and very special relationship with Arengin Union, a relationship that was built over more than 3 centuries of friendship and cooperation. The Empire also maintains a centuries old rivalry with Aydinir as well as a rivalry with Bearstin. However, the Empire chooses to focus most of its foreign relations on trade and economic cooperation. Military The Royal Armed Forces are some of the largest in the world, boasting 3,746,906 regular military personnel, with around 4,420,000 men and women undergoing Basic Combat Training. The primary reason for such a large number of trained personnel lies in the conscription laws of the Empire. All citizens, male and female, are required to provide 4 years of service, starting when they graduate from High School at the average age of 18 and ending around age 22. Upon conscription, they are sent to basic training and then job training for whichever branch and position their aptitude tests placed them. Upon the completion of their training, which generally takes a full year, the top recruits are then inducted into the branch to which they were assigned while the remaining recruits complete their national service in a non-military role, such as the Peace Corps or Civil Service Corps. All citizens, however, remain part of the Territorial Reserve forces until age 40, when they are released from all military obligations. Exceptions to this are granted only for those with clear physical or psychological disabilities as well as those engaged in theological studies or in vital collegiate studies, though most are still required to fulfill 4 years of service in the Civil Service or the Peace Corps on a part time basis. Royal Manticoran Army The Royal Manticoran Army is the largest of the Armed Services, with a little over 1,114,000 million men and women. The Army is organized around modular brigades, designed for rapid deployment to combat zones around the world. The basic unit of maneuver is the Brigade Combat Team, a combined arms formation with between 4,400 and 4,700 personnel depending on their designation, supported by more than 200 support brigades, ranging in size from 560 soldiers to more than 5,000. The 100 active BCTs, alongside the support brigades, are designed for modular assignment to 19 Divisional Headquarters formations. These Divisional Headquarters formations are made up of around 1,080 officers and enlisted personnel and are organized to be able to command any combination of brigades. Typically, a division is assigned 3-5 Brigade Combat Teams and 3 support brigades, generally an aviation brigade, artillery brigade, and sustainment brigade. The Division essentially fills the role of the Corps from the 20th Century. In times of war, the Army can raise almost double its current number of brigades and divisions through the use of Cadre Brigades, forces of roughly 600 experienced officers and NCOs who serve as the headquarters for Territorial Reserve units during their service period, training them on the relevant equipment. After the conscripts finish their training, they are handed off to the Territorial Reserve forces in their state, where they serve for 3 more years. The Army Reserve Forces almost double the combat strength of the Army, bringing over 100 combat brigades and 411 support brigades. In total, the combat brigades are divided among 105 Combined Arms Brigades (Colloquially termed Armored Brigades), 70 Motorized Brigades (Colloquially termed Stryker Brigades), 32 Armored Cavalry Regiments (Colloquially called Cavalry Regiments), 25 Airborne Brigades, and 15 Light Infantry Brigades. Royal Manticoran Navy The Royal Navy is a navy born from the vast distances between Imperial holdings. Nuclear vessels are common, making up the majority of the surface and subsurface fleets. Conventionally powered vessels serve in both the Mainland and the Colonies for coastal patrol and maritime interdiction operations. This large fleet of vessels numbers more than 600 combat and support ships, including 13 aircraft carriers, 4 arsenal ships, 52 cruisers, 138 destroyers, 112 frigates, 66 attack submarines, 45 amphibious warships, and dozens of support ships. The Navy operates a large arsenal of warplanes, with over 900 F-35C strike craft, 255 V-22 Ospreys, and 187 MH-60 helicopters. Royal Manticoran Air Force The Royal Air Force is the youngest of the branches, tasked with conducting air warfare in support of the Army as well as providing interdiction against airborne threats. The RMAF is split among Strategic Air Command, which controls the Empire's fleet of strategic bombers and nuclear ballistic missiles, Tactical Air Command, which controls the air superiority and multi-role fighter aircraft of the Empire, Air Mobility Command, which controls strategic airlifters, Cyber Warfare Command, which conducts offensive and defensive cyber warfare, and Space Command, which is responsible for the operation and protection of the Empire's satellites and other orbital infrastructure. SAC has an arsenal of 213 long range strategic bombers and some 7,000 stockpiled nuclear warheads, contained in 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles and hundreds of gravity bombs. TAC has an inventory of nearly fighters, including 1,200 F-22A Raptor fighters, and more than 1,700 F-35A fighters. AMC has an inventory of 410 C-5M and C-17 airlifters. These airborne platforms are supported by KC-135, KC-46, and KC-10 in-flight refueling aircraft, E-3 AWACs, E-4 and E-8 Command and Control aircraft, and EC-130 electronic warfare aircraft. Royal Manticoran Marine Corps The Royal Marines are not, technically speaking, an independent branch, despite several attempts by legislators to make them independent. The Marine Corps is subservient to the Imperial Navy and is tasked with conducting amphibious combat operations anywhere in the world. The Marine Corps, like the Army, is organized around Combined Arms units, called Marine Air Ground Task Forces. The mainline combat unit is the Marine Expeditionary Unit, a formation of 2,200 Marines with armor, aviation, and logistics support. The MEU can land 300 soldiers under armor in a first wave, supported by a squadron of F-35B fighters and AH-1Z attack helicopters. The MEU is surpassed in size by the Marine Expeditionary Brigade, with 14,500 Marines and capable of landing more than 850 Marines under armor. The Marine Corps has an arsenal of vehicles and aircraft, including 20,000 Humvees, 11,400 MTVs, 2,000 LVSR trucks, 780 LAVs, 400 tanks, 70 heavy recovery vehicles, 1,300 EFVs, 240 F-35C, 195 F-35B, 70 KV-22, 147 AH-1Z, 160 CH-53K, and 348 MV-22. Manticoran Military Doctrine The Empire focuses heavily on expeditionary warfare, with all four major branches organized and trained for rapid activation and deployment of forces. The forces are, generally, organized in a 1:3 ratio, meaning 1 Unit of Maneuver is on Deployment for every 3 Units of Maneuver in various stages of deployment preparation. This usually works out as one unit deployed, one returning from deployment, one in training, and one in mobilization for deployment. A deployment cycle for all four branches is generally 36 months, with roughly 9 months spent on deployment and 27 months spent conducting other requirements. This systems allows the majority of conscripts to see at least one deployment before they transition to the TRF. In offensive operations, the Empire relies on combined arms operations, coordinating the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Army in a lethal dance of death. Typical operations would be prefaced by a massive cyber attack, seeking to cripple the enemy economy and communications infrastructure, followed by a massive airstrike targeting radars, air defense systems, power plants, and communications systems. Anti-Satellite weapons would also be deployed to deny the enemy access to their intelligence and early warning satellites. Further strikes would be used to degrade the enemy's ability to coordinate counter strikes against the following airborne, amphibious, and cross border assaults. Marines in V-22s and CH-53Ks would flown over the beachheads towards key landmarks, such as airfields or bridgeheads close to the beach with the goal of taking those positions ahead of the Marine landing parties. Marines in tanks and armored landing vehicles will land and secure the beach, covering amphibious recon vehicles as they rush forward to provide fire direction for naval ships and aircraft. Meanwhile, heavy units of the Army would rush across the border or transload themselves from transport ships onto landing craft to make the journey ashore. Through the duration of offensive operations, the Air Force, Navy, Marine, and Army units will be in constant communication, coordinating their actions to ensure the maximum amount of firepower is applied to weak points in enemy defenses. Tactics like this have proven very effective in annual wargames. Law Enforcement and Crime Law Enforcement in the Empire is highly decentralized, with most duties performed by municipal police departments and county sheriffs. State Police forces provide additional manpower as well as patrol state and interstate highway systems. The Vicuna Metropolitan Police Force is the oldest law enforcement agency in the Empire, while the Arvia Police Department is the largest. Federal law enforcement agencies, such as the Imperial Investigative Bureau, Imperial Marshal's Service, and Border Patrol, have specific responsibilities. The Marshals are tasked with capturing and escorting fugitives who have escaped custody or have failed to appear for trial, as well as providing security for courthouses. The IIB is tasked with investigating felony offenses that cross state boundaries or involve threats against government institutions or terrorism. Finally, the Border Patrol is responsible for the enforcement of the Empire's borders. The murder rate in the Empire sits at 4.3 murders per 100,000 citizens, down from 4.9 per 100,000 in 2017. The peak murder rate was in 1980, with 10.7 murders per 100,000 citizens. The widespread ownership of firearms is often pointed at as being the cause behind the high level of homicide in the Empire, despite evidence that most homicides were committed with knives, blunt objects, or strangulation, with most gun related homicides being gang related. Since the 1980s, males have represented over 75% of homicide victims and more than 90% of offenders, with Nordian-Manticorans committing more than 52% of all homicides, at eight times the rate of the more numerous Acharan ethnic groups. This has been mostly attributed to the poorer economic and educational levels of Nordian communities in Manticore, a result of Colonial era policies. Nordians are also six times more likely than Acharans to be victims of violent crime in Manticore. Most of these crimes have been intraracial, with 93% of Nordian victims having a Nordian offender and 86% of Acharan victims having Acharan offenders. The State of Corvus has the highest rate of homicide and non-negligent manslaughter while the small farming state of Triuh has the lowest. The annual Uniform Crime Report of the IIB in 2017 reported more than 3,500 violent and property crimes per 100,000 people, equating to nearly 12 million crimes reported. Capital Punishment is legal in the Empire, with 43 of the 61 states maintaining the death penalty as a punishment for some crimes. Between 1958 and 1983, no executions took place, due in large part to a progressive government and liberal supreme court majority. In 1983, the death penalty returned by a narrow vote and is highly restricted in its use to only the most heinous of criminals. This has resulted in very few executions, almost all of which have been serial killers or serial rapists, though pedophiles are also commonly executed. Methods of execution vary by state but most have used lethal injection. Several states are swinging back to firing squad after several botched injections and a gradual loss of lethal injection drugs. There is also a large and growing anti-capital punishment movement, attempting to get the death penalty permanently outlawed in the Empire. In an effort to achieve a compromise, all Capital Crimes are tried as normal but the sentence is handed down by a panel of 9 High Justices. These High Justices must all agree that the sentence of death is warranted. If even one justice disagrees, then the sentence of death is removed from the table in favor of life imprisonment. From 1977 until 2014, the Empire had one of the largest incarcerated populations in the world, with more than 1 in every 100 adults incarcerated on average each year. Almost 1 in 35 adults have been incarcerated at some point in their lives. This was largely due to harsh minimum sentencing laws and draconian anti-drug laws, which were relaxed heavily in 2015 and have now been virtually abolished in 2018. There are no minimum sentences, drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and heroin have been legalized and are required to abide by Federal health and safety regulations. People incarcerated for possession and distribution of these drugs were, in most cases, exonerated and released, provided their offenses were non-violent and they had not been incarcerated in relation to other charges. Since the change in the laws, the Empire's incarcerated population has fallen from 1 in 100 to around 600 in 100,000, with most being incarcerated for violent or property crimes. Economy The Empire has a capitalist free-market economy, boosted by low taxes, minimalist regulations, abundant natural resources, and high productivity. The Empire is widely regarded as one of the easiest nations in which to start a business as well as one of the friendliest nations for the entrepreneur. The nominal GDP of the Empire, valued at $47.645 trillion, is among the largest in the world. Since the 1980s, the Empire has seen average annual economic growth of 3.2% In the first two quarters of 2018, the Empire hit 4% GDP growth, with 4.1% in the second quarter. The Manticoran Dollar has an inflation rate of 1.1% annually, kept constant by the Imperial Reserve Bank. Roughly 60% of the population is employed, with 63% of working age (18-70) are currently employed. Unemployment is at 3.9%, down from a 2013 high of 4.6%. The Empire is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, with the household net worth of the Empire being valued at over $100 trillion dollars, nearly 5 times the GDP. The Empire does have rather substantial government debt, at $21.3 trillion, though a return to conservative spending practices in 2012 has started to pay off, with the federal budget balanced with tax revenue for the last two years, thanks in large part to the Budget Control Act of 2015, which forces the Government to budget based on the tax revenues gathered. The private sector accounts for almost 87% of the total economy, with government at all levels making up about 12%. Government is the largest employer in the Empire, with government employees outnumbering manufacturing employees 1.7 to 1. The economy is largely post industrial, with the service sector accounting for 68% of GDP, the manufacturing sector is still one of the largest in the world. Consumer spending comprises 70% of the economy and the workforce numbers about 216 million people. Government ranks as the largest employer, with 21.2 million employees at federal, state, and local levels of government. Healthcare is the largest private sector of employment, with more than 16 million employees. The Empire consistently ranks highly on ease of hiring and firing workers, as well as competitiveness. The Federal Government spends next to nothing on welfare programs, with these programs being left to state and local governments to fund. Workers in the Empire are not guaranteed paid vacation or family leave under the law, though these are benefits commonly given to skilled laborers. Nearly 80% of full time workers in the Empire have paid vacation and paid family leave, though less than 30% of part time workers get the same benefits. The Empire is ranked highly in terms of workforce productivity. Income, Poverty, and Wealth Manticorans rank among the highest in the world for average household and employee incomes, with an average household income of $52,500 and an average wage of $70,000. The median household income is similarly high, at $59,000. Food is cheap and readily available in the Empire, with food imported from other nations very common due to the absence of protectionist policies. The Empire has high levels of income inequality, with the top 20% of earners making 50% of the earned income in the Empire. The gap between compensation and productivity has improved greatly over the last 40 years with increased benefits offered by employers and the gradual decrease in the price of many services, however there is still a clear divide between income levels. Over the last 40 years, the top 1% of earners more than doubled their share of the National Income from 9% to 20%. Wealth is similarly concentrated, with the richest 10% of the population holding 72% of the wealth while the bottom half only holds 2%. The top 1% of the Empire claimed 39% of the nation's wealth. Debt is a huge problem for large sections of the Imperial population, with household debt reaching $14 trillion in 2017. Poverty, however, has been sharply declining over the last several decade, with fewer than 500,000 Manticorans in extreme poverty and roughly 1 in 7 young adults qualify as low income. This varies greatly from state to state, however, and the affordable nature of most goods and services in the Empire make the cost of living far lower than it was 30 years ago. Infrastructure Transportation Personal transportation in the Empire is dominated by the automobile, with most families owning two or more cars. The plethora of automobiles are supported by one of the largest and most developed road networks in the world. In the Empire, cars almost equal people, with over 311 million motor vehicles. Around 9% of workers use mass transit systems like trains and buses for their commute. The extensive Imperial rail network hauls massive amounts of goods but relatively few passengers, with about 31 million citizens taking the train every year. The Empire also supports a massive civil airline industry, with hundreds of millions of passengers flying for work or pleasure every year. The airlines are entirely privately owned, with many airports being publicly owned. Energy The Empire demands massive amounts of energy, using almost 30,000 terawatt hours of electricity each year and a per capita energy consumption of 8 metric tons of petroleum equivalent. Most of the electricity comes from nuclear reactors, with only 34% from coal, oil, natural gas, and renewable sources. Water Supply and Sanitation The Empire receives rather generous precipitation and has a vast network of pipes and sewers to keep drinking water and wastewater separate. Pollution from industrial activities has been a major concern, leading to the development of increasingly effective purification and pollution prevention methods. Education The Empire's public education system is primarily run by state and local administrations, with curriculum dictated by the Federal Department of Education. Students are required to be in school from age 6 until age 18, during which time they are given a general education. High School education becomes more specialized, with students being given the option to take college prep courses or school-work programs offered by local businesses, typically in the skilled trades market. Public and private college institutions are highly competitive, with demanding entrance qualifications. Local community colleges generally offer easier admission requirements and comparable education, resulting in most students going to community colleges before transferring to universities. About 90% of Manticorans have completed at least a High School level education, 53% have attended some form of College, 27% have achieved a Bachelor's degree, and around 10% have received a graduates degree. The basic literacy rate is 99%. Very little federal money is spent of higher education, with the Government primarily focusing on K-12 education of students. Private sector competition between Universities has resulted in lower tuition costs on average, though student loan debt is still extremely high. Culture The Empire is home to many cultures, a result of conquest, colonization, and immigration through out the centuries. These cultures have brought their ethnic and religious beliefs and traditions to the Empire, creating a melting pot of cultures that is simultaneously described as a salad bowl. The culture of the Empire is dominated by the Latian cultural and ethnic group, with hard work, integrity, and tolerance of all being core tenants of Latian and Manticoran values. Manticorans are firm believers in liberty, individuality, competition, equality, rule of law, private property, democracy, and a clear preference for limited government. Manticorans are also highly charitable, with charitable donations equal to 3.34% of the GDP. A huge attraction for immigrants is the free market economy, which gives every Manticoran an equal opportunity to succeed or fail. Manticorans are among the most entrepreneurial in the world, with most Manticorans at least attempting to start a business at some point in their lives. Food The general cuisine of the Empire is both simple and yet potentially extremely complex at the same time. Wheat is the primary cereal grain, being easy to grow and harvest. Rice and potatoes are among the most common plants grown, as well as corn, soybeans, sweet potatoes, squash, and many others. Manticorans are also huge consumers of meat and dairy products, with beef, venison, and milk extremely popular items. Popular dishes include apple pie, fried chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, and various pastas. Coffee, orange juice, and milk are ubiquitous breakfast beverages, with coffee consumed almost addictively throughout the day by most Manticorans. Almost characteristic of the Empire's economy and culture are the fast food restaurants that dominate every city and town in the Empire, serving the insatiable appetite of an economy that works 24/7. The popularity of foods saturated in fats and heavily sweetened soft drinks have lead to large numbers of Manticorans becoming overweight, though all attempts to curb the "obesity epidemic" have been met by staunch resistance by the highly individualist Manticorans, healthy and otherwise.Category:Nation